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Practice Course - Discriminations And More

29 Jun 2007Steve Schwarz

I’m still working Meeker on contacts and obstacle discriminations and after this earlier setup I came up with this setup and some sequences to play with. These sequences “double” the discriminations by wrapping the A Frame and Dog Walk in tunnels and setting paths drawing past multiple obstacles. Also, based on an Anne Riba class course, I put in a “teeter to nowhere” which turned out to be a skill our team is lacking.

Course Setup

Course Setup

Course Sequence 1

Course Sequence 1

This sequence opens with a straightforward three jump Pin Wheel to a teeter facing away from the flow of the course. It would be advantageous to cross on the take off of the teeter and leave the dog to complete the teeter without you for the run over jump 5 and into the tunnel. I handled the A Frame with the dog on my left all the way through to the Dog Walk. It maybe advantageous to layer jump 16 on the long fast run from the chute to the weaves.

The dog walk can be handled on either side, with dog on left it is a push out to the table. (BTW - if you’re venue doesn’t use a table just go from 12 right to 14 - that’s fun too!) If handled with a Front Cross on the approach to the Dog Walk then a Front Cross Learning the Front Cross - VideoFront Cross between the Dog Walk and jump 12 works nicely.

Coming from the table you have some choices to avoid all the off course obstacles. You can Lead Out and bring the dog Across The Feet to the tunnel or just Post Turn Learning the Post TurnPost Turn/Shoulder Pull/Pivot Turn keeping your dog’s attention from jump 12.

Then it is just a straightforward Pin Wheel again. It can be helpful to leave your dog once they have committed to jump 17 so you can get moving to jump 18. Depending on your dog’s speed you can pull your dog over jump 19 and Rear Cross Learning the Rear CrossRear Cross between 19 and 20 or if you are ahead a Front Cross works nicely there.

Course Sequence 2

Course Sequence 2

This sequence opens with a 180 and then takes the dog across a Box Box/Hobday Box/Jump Box/Jump SquareJump Box DrillsDo It Yourself Box Jump SequencesDouble Box Sequence GeneratorDouble Box SequencesJump Box Drill GeneratorStar Box Sequence GeneratorNew Jump Box Sequence GeneratorStar Box SequencesThe Jump Box in Course Design with a 270 Mr Peabody in UKC Bloodlines MagazineHandling 270 Degree Jump SequencesBack Side Entry to 270/Training Opportunity - Video270 Degree Jump Sequence. I handled 1-3 with Meeker on my right and Rear Crossed 3-4 and Front Crossed 5 to 6 (putting him on my right on the way into the tunnel). Then you can Post Turn-Rear Cross or Front Cross to 7 to get “into the pocket” of the Pin Wheel. I think the only sensible handling is to take the Dog Walk with the dog on your right.

Then it is a chance to run. I liked sending Meeker over the Broad Jump and cutting to the center of the Pin Wheel so I could Front Cross over 14 and take him on my left over 14 and 15 on the way to the A Frame. For the close it is another running opportunity. The only difficulty is getting your dog to turn tight and come back to you coming out of the chute; they take a good look at the off course jump and broad jump. An RFP might be necessary to get your dog to turn back to you.

Course Sequence 3

Course Sequence 3

This turned out to be a trickier sequence than I had planned. It opens with a Pin Wheel, I Lead Out on the Handler Line Using the Handler Line - Front/Rear/Blind Cross LineHandler Line - Front/Rear/Blind Cross Line between jump 2 and 3. Then it is a Wrap Jump Wrap Handling - With VideoJump Wrap Handling TipsJump Wrap/Wrap over 3 and take the dog past the Dog Walk to the weaves. Another layering opportunity over the Broad Jump. Which side of the Dog Walk works best for you? This was a good run requiring the handler to get to the end of the Dog Walk with the dog. I liked it best with the dog on my right and then pushing over 8 and pulling back over 9 with a Rear Cross on the take off side of jump 9 to turn Meeker to the teeter.

I let Meeker pass me on the way to the teeter and Rear Crossed again. After that 11-12-13 was easy with him on my right the whole way. I kept him on my left all the way to jump 19 and since he was ahead of me I Rear Crossed on the take off of 19. I Front Crossed over jump 20 so I could handle 21 and 22 with him on my right.

Meeker and I played around on this course for the past week and found a lot of interesting subsequences to play with. I hope you enjoy it.

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